I am back with my favourite ingredient — puff pastry! It’s my favourite not just because it is so easy to cook, but mainly because it is so versatile that you can do anything with it, the sky is the limit! It’s like playdough in the hands, taking on any shape and form that you can create.

So today let us check out how to make palmiers, easy cookies that can easily be made by rolling out the puff pastry, spreading with anything sweet and then rolling into a heart shape. The filling can be light sugar, jam, chocolate spread, etc.

I used brown sugar but you can easily use the regular one at home, there is really no difference in the result. Let’s check out how it is done.

Ingredients

• 500g puff pastry

• 1/2 cup brown sugar

• Beaten egg for brushing (optional)

Method

Bring the puff pastry to almost room temperature, as it is stored frozen. If it is a little cooler, then it will be easier to handle. Roll out into a rectangular shape, sprinkle brown sugar evenly on top.

Now start rolling it from both ends until they meet at the middle. At this point, since the dough had become very soft, I kept it in the fridge for about five minutes till it became slightly firm. It’s difficult to maintain its shape if it is too soft. Now cut it about half-inch thick.

Take each piece and pinch it with fingers from the middle outer side where the rolled parts meet, to give it a heart shape and slightly press both the ends from the sides so that they stick together and do not separate on baking. Like all baking stuff, how the puff pastry rises in the oven is so unpredictable and the ends can separate. But it really doesn’t matter as the end result is very yummy!

Now spread on a baking tray covered with baking sheet, at a little distance to give it space to expand. Brush lightly with beaten eggs and bake for about 20 minutes or until light brown from the bottom. The baking paper makes it easy to slightly lift the edge and peek at the bottom of the palmiers at this stage. Now turn on the top grill to brown it a little from the top, for about a couple of minutes.

When done, take it out and immediately remove from the baking sheet by lifting it using a flat spoon or spatula. If you let it cool, the sugar that has melted and caramelised at the bottom will become hard and it will stick to the paper. Half-way though this stage, the cookies cooled and I had to put them back in the oven for less than a minute for the tray to become hot again and melt the sugar.

They are very light and crispy cookies, and if there are any leftover, you can easily store them in an airtight container.

Published in Dawn, Young World, March 28th, 2020